Struggling? Seek Help!

Positive Experience of using Mental Health Services - Amy Gault

Before I came to university my experience of using mental health services had not been the best. Coming from Northern Ireland I found that their mental health services from my own personal experience were not great. After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety and suffering from self-harm I felt like I was left to deal with these issues on my own. After moving to Liverpool for university I was worried that things would get worse and due to having such a bad experience in the past in using services I was apprehensive to seek help.

However, I knew I couldn’t let things get any worse, so I contacted the wellbeing services at my university, LJMU. I was introduced to their counselling service which I found more than helpful. It allowed me to open up about how I was feeling and explore why I was having negative thoughts and feelings. This helped me throughout my first year on university.

When I reached the second year of my degree, I found that things had gotten worse, I contacted the doctor and they introduced me to Talk Liverpool.

This service was so supportive in that they showed me how to cope with things on my own. They enrolled me in a group Cognitive Behavioural therapy course. I found this especially helpful as it gave me coping mechanisms to take away and use in my normal daily routine.

Throughout the last 4 years I have been exposed to different services, doctors and counsellors all telling me different ways to cope with mental illness. Some have been a lot more helpful than others. I would say that it wasn’t until I came to Liverpool that I was welcomed to services that actually listened to me and taught me how to cope with mental illness.